SpartanNash Bolsters Fresh Departments Using Artificial Intelligence Through Afresh Partnership

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Food solutions company SpartanNash (the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SPTN) today announced its partnership with one of the world’s leading fresh food technology companies, Afresh Technologies. SpartanNash will pilot the Afresh platform, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered predictive ordering and inventory management solution, at 10 of its owned Family Fare grocery stores in the Grand Rapids, Mich. area.

“Our partnership with Afresh will help SpartanNash deliver fresh produce to our store guests while also minimizing food waste, which is a key focus area for our Company’s ESG efforts,” said SpartanNash Chief Merchandising Officer Bennett Morgan. “Leveraging the strength of artificial intelligence and digital workflow will provide our Associates with insights to create solutions that benefit our corporate retail store guests.”

Afresh equips SpartanNash’s Fresh Department managers with easy-to-use, modern ordering tools – powered by real-time insights – to support fresh ordering decisions. The platform’s insights build upon the expertise of SpartanNash Associates to create the best possible shopper experience and making fresh food accessible to all. The tool helps minimize food waste by ensuring the appropriate inventory levels are maintained and always fresh based on insights from guests’ shopping habits.

“SpartanNash takes pride in empowering store leaders with buying decisions and providing the freshest foods for its store guests,” said Afresh CEO Matt Schwartz. “Afresh is proud to partner with the SpartanNash team to help better manage the ever-changing nature of fresh. As the only built-for-fresh solution that intelligently navigates hard-to-predict data to drive optimal decisions, Afresh takes a unique approach to solving the complexities of a fresh department.”

“The more time our Associates save in the forecasting and ordering process, the more time they can spend on the floor serving our store guests,” said SpartanNash Executive Vice President and General Manager, Corporate Retail Tom Swanson. “SpartanNash will continue to implement innovative solutions that improve our shoppers’ in-store experience and help us deliver the ingredients for a better life.”

About SpartanNash

SpartanNash (Nasdaq: SPTN) is a food solutions company that delivers the ingredients for a better life. As a distributor, wholesaler and retailer with a global supply chain network, SpartanNash customers span a diverse group of national accounts, independent and chain grocers, e-commerce retailers, U.S. military commissaries and exchanges, and the Company’s own brick-and-mortar grocery stores, pharmacies and fuel centers. SpartanNash distributes grocery and household goods, including fresh produce and its Our Family® portfolio of products, to locations in all 50 states, in addition to distributing to the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Djibouti, Korea and Japan. To support its distribution business, the Company operates a strategically developed network of large-scale distribution facilities and a nationwide transportation fleet. In addition, the Company owns and operates 147 supermarkets – primarily under the banners of Family Fare, Martin’s Super Markets and D&W Fresh Market – and shares its operational insights to drive innovative solutions for SpartanNash food retail customers. Committed to fostering a People First culture, the SpartanNash family of Associates is 17,500 strong and growing. For more information, visit spartannash.com.

About Afresh

Afresh is the world’s leading fresh technology company, helping grocers win in fresh with intelligent solutions that move beyond traditional inventory management to drive optimal decisions across the fresh supply chain. Afresh is changing the game with a platform designed to recognize and respond to the ever-changing, often hard-to-predict world of fresh, streamlining fresh operations and improving grocers’ bottom lines while reducing food waste.

Founded in 2017 with the mission to eliminate food waste and make fresh food accessible to all, Afresh is proudly serving national and regional grocery brands across the US. Today, Afresh has announced partnerships with grocers in more than 3,000 stores and 40 states, including Albertsons, Heinen’s, Save Mart, Bashas, Cub Foods, and more. Learn more at www.afresh.com.